Hold Onto Me
by Bunny Chaps
Summary: The ever turbulent world of the shinobi has been at war too long, and a peace was brokered. Daughter for daughter, son for son, there would be peace between the Senju and the Uchiha. This unsteady peace could either shatter or flourish, depending on the strength of the children involved in bringing about this peace. Has it come time to hold on to the peace or let it go? [Adopted!]
1. Unsteady

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own any of the characters from the franchise. I do not own the series, even though the thought is nice. The original idea of this story belongs to BluBooThalassophile.

Oh my goodness! I'm alive! (*Grumbles about college and boy issues*) And with another new piece? Wait, something doesn't seem quite right…

So, you're all probably sitting there wondering why this piece looks so familiar. I have adopted it from the amazing Blu, who I would like to give another thanks to for allowing me to adopt this piece and continue Sasuke and Sakura's journey together! The first two chapters were both written by Blu, and I'm using them to start the story before I continue it from there.

I present to you the first two original chapters of "Hold Onto Me", by BluBooThalassophile, where I will then pick up the story at chapter three.

Enjoy!

* * *

There were four great houses residing in Hi no Kuni; two were descendants of Ōtsutsuki Asura:

The Uzumaki, with their skills in the arts of fūinjutsu they were both loved and respected through Hi no Kuni. Strong, rich and powerful they ruled their claimed lands with a firm but fair hand. At the head of the Uzumaki Clan was Uzumaki Ashina, he had a daughter, Uzumaki Mito, married to a Senju, brokering a peace and alliance between the two Clans.

The Senju, with their powerful life forces and unique abilities were esteemed and worshipped throughout Hi no Kuni. Loving, kind, and protectors of their claimed lands which prospered under their watch. At the head of the Senju Clan was Senju Hashriama, married to Uzumaki Mito, and siring two children to bring a firm alliance to the Uzumaki clan.

The third great house of Hi no Kuni was a descendant of Ōtsutsuki Hamura:

The Hyūga, gifted with the Byakugan as a kekkei genkei, they were revered and awed for their prowess and fame through Hi no Kuni. Strong, rigid, and notoriously neutral, many sought refuge in the Hyūga's claimed lands from the war. At the head of the Hyūga Clan was Hyūga Takeshi, who had two sons in his elderly age, and refused to be brought into the fold of alliances.

The fourth great house of Hi no Kuni was descendant of Ōtsutsuki Indra:

The Uchiha, blessed with the Sharingan they were an extremely spiritual clan. Reputed to be the strongest of the four great houses, the Uchiha stood alone, bred for fighting. Their lands were well guarded, but flourished in secret, rarely was it known what the Uchiha did to their claimed lands. At the head of the Uchiha Clan stood Uchiha Madara who bowed to no will of outsiders and formed no alliances.

Now, the Senju and the Uchiha had had a strenuous and fragile peace; for a brief moment in life, but it had shattered the night Uchiha Madara's bride was poisoned with their first child in her. The war which had ripped through Hi no Kuni had ravaged the lands, torn smaller clans apart with their quick scrambling for alliances and safety. The Uchiha sought retribution, claiming the killer to be Senju Tobriama, Senju Hashirama's younger brother, the Senju refused to stand idly by and closed ranks around their clansman. And what strenuous peace; the peace Hashirama and Madara had been building in the form of Konohagakura, was withered and died before it could even flourishing.

However, there was fifty years of war which had decimated Hi no Kuni and the people outside the Clans were suffering.

In order to bring about a permanent peace a proposal was made, by the Hyūga; who were trusted by both houses because of their neutral nature.

The eldest Senju boy would marry the eldest Uchiha girl, while youngest Senju girl would marry the youngest Uchiha boy.

Now, it had taken Hashirama many years to sire his two children, the first; and heir to the Senju Clan was Senju Tsunade who had married a Katō Dan, Tsunade had two daughters, the first was Shizune and the second daughter was Mebuki. Katō Mebuki had married; while her elder sister had not. Hashirama's second daughter, and heir to the Uzumaki Clan, was Senju Tōka, who had married Uzumaki Nagato. they had had a single daughter; Kushina. Uzumaki Kushina had married.

As to Madara, he had married again years later, and had sired three sons; the eldest was Uchiha Kagami, the second son, Uchiha Fugaku, and the third, Uchiha Obito. Uchiha Kagami had never married, and refused to do so. Uchiha Fugaku had married a distant cousin in the Uchiha clan. And Uchiha Obito had married a civilian medic.

The proposal of the Hyūga was simple, the eldest Senju marry the eldest Uchiha, the youngest Uchiha boy marry the youngest Senju girl

The problem was the youngest members of both clans; while roughly the same age, were children and it infuriated both the Senju and the Uchiha that this was even proposed. However, both clans conceded that they were slaughtering not just Senju and Uchiah anymore, but rather were killing their beloved Hi no Kuni and the civilians which lived under their protection. Thus, the peace was brokered; the youngest of the two clans would marry.

The Uchiha Clan had prospered but they had only sired one female heir, and she was a bastard by birth and blood with an unnamed mother. Uchiha Kagami's beautiful daughter; Uchiha Naori. Their three heirs for the head of the Clan were the three prodigal sons of Uchiha Fugaku: Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Sasuke.

The Senju Clan had flourished, and their heir to the head of the clan was the eldest son of Senju Tobirama; Senju Kawarama, a young lad considered a prodigy of the Senju. Now, the youngest member of the clan was the daughter Haruno Kizashi and Mebuki, a young girl named Haruno Sakura who had no other siblings and was the center of her family's love and affections.

With the Hyūga's decree the arrangement was set which was why the four great houses of Hi no Kuni, and the all lesser houses; like the Akimichi, the Nara, the Yamanaka, the Sarutobi, the Inuzuka, the Aburame, the Shimura, the Hatake, the Namikaze, the Kohaku, and the Kurama clans all sat present as the Hyūga and the Uzumaki sat with the heads of the Uchiha and the Senju to sigh a binding document sealing the peace between the two clans.

Until such a time the pact was broke, both clans bound themselves with their honor to treat the exchanged daughters as if they were their own and to seal the deal with marriage at the appropriate age; fifteen summers. And for this peace; however strenuous, to be sealed in blood upon the births of the children of these promised couples.

Neither clan was happy as Uchiha Madara sold his granddaughter and youngest grandson into marriage for peace, and as Senju Hashirama sold his grandnephew and great-granddaughter to the peace of Hi no Kuni. The exchange of the daughters would happen in neutral territory within the moon, or the wrath of the Hyūga would rain upon both clans, along with all the lesser houses.

The Uchiha did not care, but their lands had been ripped apart by the Senju war.

The Senju feared being overrun if the Uzumaki came to be involved with the breaking of this peace.

So, the two clans parted mutually and the peace was brokered.

At the expense of the children.

Which was why today the Uchiha and the Senju stood before the Hyūga and the other clans of Hi no Kuni to exchange the daughters of treaty.

Madara stood with his sons; Kagami and Fugaku, who had their children present. Naori stood strong, her long flowing black hair and onyx eyes displayed her Uchiha heritage while her softer features revealed her bastard nature. However, Uchiha Naori was very beautiful as she stood there with her handmaids. The younger child, a boy of eight or seven, stood beside his grandfather rather than his father, he was a handsome child with sharp features and a mask of indifference. His name was Uchiha Sasuke, and his onyx eyes glared at his intended with a look of cold indifference.

Hashirama was standing with his daughter, his brother, his grandnephew, his granddaughter, grandson-in-law, and great-granddaughter. Senju Kawarama stood tall and proud with his father's sharp eyes, strong jaw and sandy hair with a huge X shaped scar on his face. He was a handsome young man, but there was an air around him which had everyone uneasy. The youngest child there was a girl, not a beautiful girl, but one which held promise later in her life, her pink hair was short and as she pressed closer to her father her young age all the more apparent with scared green eyes watching every move everyone made. That was Haruno Sakura.

"The terms are set, may each daughter come forth," the heir of the Hyūga; Hyūga Hiashi, spoke.

Sakura glanced up to her father, who smiled kindly before coming to her level, kissing her brow, whispering for her to be strong and sending her forth. Sakura stumbled a bit, she stared though as the older girl walked with poise and grace, slowly Sakura walked towards the Uchiha biting her lip as fear filled her and she stared at their glares. She reached the center of the meeting and looked up at the older girl who smiled slightly before they passed one another, Sakura chanced a glance over her shoulder at her family again to see her mother being held tightly by her father, and her grandmother crying quiet tears.

Rough hands scooped her up, she squeaked and found herself staring into the black eyes of Uchiha Madara, Sakura tried not to cry, she did. But every horrible story she had been told about the Uchiha by her great-uncle Tobirama filled her mind and she felt the silent tears slip as she trembled in the hold of Uchiha Madara.

"The peace is agreed upon," she heard her great-grandfather shout as she was set down beside Uchiha Sasuke, a boy around her age.

"Aa," Madara answered. "Come girl, we are leaving now. Do not look back, you are no longer a Senju."

"Yes sire," she whispered as she reluctantly followed the Uchiha. She fell into step with Sasuke, or rather Sasuke fell into step with her as she walked behind Madara. The pain hurting her had her wanting to cry so she bowed her head as she walked, her tears would not be seen by anyone as her short pink hair ruffled in the wind and she watched the passing ground as she was lifted up onto a horse.

Sasuke glanced at her and she quickly looked away not wanting to break down into hysterical sobs as she felt them coming on her. She was a Senju, she was not weak, she was not helpless and she was not going to break from this as they rode into the forest.

"Girl, what is your name?" Madara demanded.

"Haruno Sakura," she answered softly.

"A Haruno, not a Senju?" the son of Madara demanded as he rode up beside her. She flinched at the look he was giving her as she bit her lip.

"Senju Hashirama has only sired daughters, and only one male heir of his line has been produced for the Uzumaki Clan, you are surprised to learn that she is not a Senju by name?" the other son of Madara snapped. Sakura winced at the tone again and stared at her hands which were holding the reigns of her horse. She could bolt; but where would she go.

"You are no longer a Haruno or a Senju, understand Sakura?" Madara demanded.

"Yes sire," she whispered softly.

"You will be taught, raised, and fight as an Uchiha shinobi, you will marry my grandson Sasuke, and you will do this for your family," Madara said sharply.

"Yes sire," she replied meekly.

"Do you find this displeasing?" the first son of Madara snapped at her, she jumped a bit at his disdain.

"N-No," she squeaked.

"Leave her be," was the quiet, cold voice of a child which had her glancing at the boy. Sasuke was looking ahead as he rode beside his grandfather. "She is no longer a Senju."

"Spoken like a future head of the Clan, a pity my own sons could not have been more like my grandsons," Madara said icily and she watched as the other two men fell behind her again and she rode in silence.

Sakura missed the curious, cold glares the boy snuck in her direction as he inspected her. She missed the pleased look on Madara's face at her quiet nature. She missed the disdainful glares of Fugaku and Kagami. And she missed the meaningful look Madara gave Sasuke as they rode for the Uchiha compound which was neatly tucked into a mountain side on the high ground overlooking their mountains and forest and valley.

Sakura did not miss the banners of the Yamanaka, and the Nara lining the road they rode upon when she entered the Uchiha territory, she did not miss the way that these clans appeared and bowed before the Uchiha envoy as they rode by and she did not miss the pride of the lesser clans or the awe in their eyes.

Sakura felt like an out of place toy or a misworn scarf, she no more belonged here than a sakura blossom in a winter's snow.

Still, her green eyes looked on as she tried to hide her face behind her floating pink hair and tried not to cry; like she so wanted to do as she continued riding through the province towards the Uchiha compound.


	2. Unique

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own any of the characters from the franchise. I do not own the series, even though the thought is nice. The original idea of this story belongs to BluBooThalassophile.

Oh my goodness! I'm alive! (*Grumbles about college and boy issues*) And with another new piece? Wait, something doesn't seem quite right…

So, you're all probably sitting there wondering why this piece looks so familiar. I have adopted it from the amazing Blu, who I would like to give another thanks to for allowing me to adopt this piece and continue Sasuke and Sakura's journey together! The first two chapters were both written by Blu, and I'm using them to start the story before I continue it from there.

I present to you the first two original chapters of "Hold Onto Me", by BluBooThalassophile, where I will then pick up the story at chapter three.

Enjoy!

* * *

First: the Uchiha were not as scary as her uncle had made them out to be, granted they were a bit cold in the emotions department but Sakura found it fascinating.

Second: she was to be trained as a kunoichi, the mere announcement of this after a month of living with the Uchiha had had her smiling in delight.

Third: Uchiha Madara was not that bad, he was rather quiet, a bit distant, but he was not a monster like her uncle had always told her. Truthfully, Sakura had half expected Uchiha Madara to have horns, fangs, and claws with a foul temper. But he wasn't like that at all, no, he was just… sad.

Now, the day to day life was simple for Rin, she tried to be a good girl; and sometimes failed miserably.

She was under the care of Uchiha Mikoto, a kind woman who was quiet and strict, but kind all the same. Uchiha Fugaku was the one Uchiha she did not mess with and actually avoided at all costs, he would glare at her as if she were nothing but a gnat needing to be swatted.

The Uchiha brothers dragged her along with them everywhere! She loved it! Uchiha Shisui would let her sit on his shoulders, her favorite perch because she could see everything! Shisui was tall, and he also the fastest Uchiha to smile and laugh once he was out of the supervision of their father; Fugaku. Also Shisui was teaching her and Sasuke how to throw shuriken when no one was looking.

Uchiha Itachi was very wise, he had slipped her a few scrolls to read before it was announced that she could be trained, she had liked that about Itachi. Also, Itachi gave her sweets; all the time, aside from her father and herself she didn't know anyone with a big sweet tooth like her; then there was Itachi. She really liked Itachi, though he was a very solemn boy.

Uchiha Sasuke was her favorite Uchiha though; and it was not because they were betrothed! Whatever 'betrothed' was. No, Sakura liked Sasuke because he was fun! He was growly, snarly, snappy, but he was fun! He was the first one to play with her without glaring at her; and that was the first day she had walked out of her room after crying for four days and not daring to come out. He had grudgingly carried her when she had scraped her knee when they had played conceal-n-seek, all the way to his aunt Rin, who had patched her up.

Yes, Sakura found that after a few months here she was really happy. Her great-grandfather had never let her off the compound and she had never played with other kids her age, but with the Uchiha… she was free! She could go off the compound! Also, she was not required to dress like a lady, she got to wear boy clothes! She liked that, liked it a lot.

Which brought her to today as she waved to Madara as she left the compound, he nodded as she skipped by, and skipped a bit down the road to the flower field she had discovered to be at the bottom of the hill. Her short pink hair and bangs bounced, but she was having fun as she hurried to the field barefoot.

Yes, life was drastically different here in the Uchiha lands rather than the Senju lands. For one thing, it was quieter; a lot quieter, there wasn't much laughter, but that was alright. There was a firm establishment of love here, and it was quiet, she liked it a lot.

Making her way to the field she stopped uncertainly when she saw a group of kids playing in her field. Her shyness over took her as she stood there trembling a bit until the kids noticed her. There were four girls, and five boys, Sakura was nervous as she tried to smile, the kids snickered then.

"Look! It's the ugly Senju the Uchiha adopted!" someone snickered.

"I bet her ridiculous hair is fake!"

"I pity Sasuke-kun, he deserves prettier," a girl hissed.

"Stupid Senju is all she is."

"I bet the Uchiha just tolerate her."

"Everyone knows no Uchiha will ever like a Senju."

"Can't blame them, Senju are lying, traitorous, stuck up pigs."

"She's no different."

Sakura ran off before she burst into tears as she darted into the forest furiously wiping her eyes. She wouldn't cry in front of strangers! She wouldn't! She couldn't! Once in the shade of the forest she kept running, she wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Not yet, not until no one would find her.

A scream escaped her when her foot caught on a root and she tumbled down the hill. Trying to cover her head so it didn't get hit she landed with a splash.

Now the tears came, and when they came… they came. The sobs which escaped her were loud, uncontrol and gut wrenching. Pulling herself out of the water; still sobbing, she tried to walk, only to have a shooting pain go through her leg; it nearly collapsed her, instead it just made the tears flow hard.

"I Wanna Go Home!" she screamed.

"What are you doing in here?" a voice asked.

She screamed as she leapt around, landing in the water still (still sobbing), and collapsing when her hurt ankle gave out. The tears didn't relent as she stared at a man and boy; both with black hair pulled in a spikey tail, look at one another and sigh.

"Troublesome," she heard the boy mutter, but the man was already crouching over her and picking her up.

"Come on," the man huffed as he gathered her up. She tried to say she wanted to go home, she wanted her father to hug her and tell her everything was alright, but she couldn't stop crying as the stranger cradled her like her father had. He also kind of smelled like her dad.

The problem with being the youngest Uchiha; at seven, and not being a remarkable prodigy; like his older brothers: Shisui, who was fourteen, or Itachi, who was twelve. Was that everyone overlooked him, his father always had a disappointed scowl on his face whenever Sasuke preformed his jutsus and tried; desperately tried to please him. But he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

His grandfather on the other hand had always beamed with pride; despite his indifferent façade, which was what had led to Sasuke doing everything he could to please Madara. However, he also strove to please his family. Not that he could, but he tried; he really did try.

But then there was Sakura.

Sasuke didn't want to like the Senju; he really tried to dislike her, despite his grandfather's request that they know one another before it was decided he didn't like her. Which was why after her crying pathetically in her room he had decided go and greet her. He did not expect her to be so… annoying, or likeable. She was annoyingly likeable. Even his brothers liked her; and that was not an easy feat to do, so Sasuke had been watching her from afar trying to figure her out.

Then he figured out he liked her. It was a shock to him, but he only noticed because he dragged her everywhere with him. He was being completely serious about that, he took her everywhere with him: training, the field, the forest, training, the lake, the river, around the Uchiha compound, and to his own room even. She was a bright person, and he found he really liked her.

And this both annoyed and flustered him because honestly, he didn't know how to feel about this revelation. At least he didn't until today as he returned from training with his mentor; Hatake Kakashi, who was an honorary Uchiha because not only did he have Uncle Obito's right eye, he had saved Obito and Rin. The Uchiha clan had adopted Kakashi in a way when it was known what Kakashi had done for them. Besides, Sasuke considered his mentor to be of the few people he wanted to please, the quiet, laid back man was the sort of man Sasuke wanted to be when he grew up.

That or like his brothers or his grandfather.

Sasuke looked around when he walked onto the compound that evening, he hadn't been able to get Kakashi to agree to bring Sakura for his training today; stating that she wasn't the same type of user as he was and she would be receiving different instructions. Sasuke had been miffed about this, but he understood, he was fire and lightning release, right now, and she was water; very different and they couldn't train together. Still he looked around for his pink friend; because she was a friend, and found… she wasn't here.

His grandfather was standing at the entrance of the compound; something he only did when a member of the family had yet to return, and Sasuke had bad feeling in his gut.

"Grandfather?" he asked as he walked up to his grandfather and looked up at him.

"Aa," Madara nodded. Sasuke froze, the unspoken question had just been answered.

Without thinking he ran down the road, his grandfather shouted for him, but Sasuke wasn't going to slow down until he found his friend.

He didn't have many friends, he had his brothers; but they were prodigies and older than him. He had cousins, but they were competition. He had his disapproving father, his approving grandfather, his loving mother, and his uncles, but Sasuke did not have friends. The village children were far too ridiculous to contemplate befriending, and the other, smaller clans, heirs were busy. So, he did not have friends; real friends, and the one he did have he wasn't losing. He had come to count Sakura as a friend since she was the first child; around his age, who actually wanted to play with him and wasn't worried about him skewering her.

Skidding a halt at the field she liked he looked around, the other kids immediately gushed at him, saying they were so sorry he'd have to marry the pinkette who had run away, but they were there. Sasuke immediately noticed the Nara forest, and he could figure the rest out as he ran for the forest.

A hand caught him then.

"Let go!" he snapped as he struggled against the grip.

"We do not invade other's territory," his grandfather said harshly.

"Hn," he grunted and then he was released, he looked at the forest then. He had heard the stories, the tales of the Nara family's connection to their forest.

"Come, we will speak with Shikaku before entering his lands," Madara said evenly. Sasuke reluctantly followed his grandfather.

"Let this be a lesson, you must take care of those you hold dear, but you must respect your allies to keep them as well," Madara said softly.

He nodded in response as they walked the dark road. Sasuke was only followed his grandfather, it was very dark by the time they made it to the small Nara compound. The gate sentry stopped before them.

"Uchiha-sama," the sentry greeted.

"Nara, we have come to speak to Shikaku," Madara said.

"At this hour?"

"My grandson's friend is missing," Madara replied. Sasuke just stood there feeling impatient to get on with the formality so he could search the forest for Sakura. She shouldn't be out at night.

"Come," the sentry said and Sasuke followed his grandfather then. They walked through the compound and Sasuke stopped.

"That's cheating!" a boy exclaimed.

"Is not," a girl snapped, Sasuke bolted before they could stop him.

Racing through the halls he skidded to a stop to see Sakura with a bandaged head, sitting at a board with a boy. She looked up then, and he finally felt…

Calm.

Walking over he sat beside her and looked at the board.

"Who are you?" the boy demanded.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke answered.

"Troublesome," the boy muttered.

"That's Nara Shikamaru, he's really smart," Sakura grinned then.


End file.
